Ross Ohlendorf Rumors

The Nationals have outrighted right-hander Ross Ohlendorf, the club announced. Ohlendorf has elected free agency.

Today’s move was precipitated by Ohlendorf’s activation from the 60-day DL, where he had resided all year. An early-year back strain ultimately sidelined Ohlendorf for much of the year (including time missed after a re-aggravation), though he did throw 15 minor league rehab innings.

Ohlendorf was a pleasant surprise last year for the Nationals, throwing 60 1/3 frames of 3.28 ERA ball after signing a minor league deal. That included seven starts and nine relief appearances, over which he struck out 6.7 and walked 2.1 per nine.

After that solid effort, Ohlendorf was retained on a $1.25MM arbitration deal (including $3MM in incentives). If he can show that he can maintain the velocity increase that fueled his success last year, it stands to reason that Ohlendorf will receive plenty of interest from teams looking for someone to compete in camp on a minor league deal.

With tonight’s non-tender deadline looming, several players figure to not only be tendered contracts but agree to their 2014 salaries prior to 11pm CT. We’ll run down the players to avoid arbitration with their respective clubs in this post, and remember that you can track the progress on all arbitration eligible players by using MLBTR’s 2014 Arbitration Tracker. For a reminder on the projected salaries for each of these players, check out Matt Swartz’s projections in MLBTR’s Arbitration Eligibles series.

The Cubs have avoided arbitration with utility infielder Donnie Murphy, reports Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com (viaTwitter), agreeing to a one-year, $825K pact that includes incentives.

The Orioles have avoided arbitration with outfielder Steve Pearce for $850K, tweets Rosenthal.

The Padres have reached terms with pitcher Eric Stults on a $2.75MM deal to avoid arbitration, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. He had been projected by Swartz to earn $3MM through arbitration. Unlike most arbitration deals, tweets Rosenthal, this one will be guaranteed. Also getting a guaranteed deal from the Padres, per Rosenthal, is righty Tim Stauffer at $1.6MM.

The White Sox have avoided arbitration with catcher Tyler Flowers with a $950k contract, tweets Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports.

The Athletics have avoided arbitration with righty Fernando Rodriguez, tweets Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Rodriguez, who is represented by Metis Sports Management, LLC, will earn $600K plus award bonuses, MLBTR has learned. The A’s will tender contracts to its remaining arb-eligible players, Slusser notes via Twitter.

The Indians have avoided arbitration with relievers Frank Herrmann and Blake Wood, the club announced. Each player will earn $560k, tweets Jordan Bastian of MLB.com, which falls below their respective projections from MLBTR’s Matt Swartz.

Newly-acquired catcher George Kottaras has reached agreement on a one-year, $1.075MM deal to avoid arbitration with the Cubs, tweets Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com. The contract includes incentives, according to Heyman. A left-handed batter, Kottaras managed only a .180 batting average last year, but got on base at a .349 clip in addition to posting a .370 slugging mark in his 126 plate appearances.

The Orioles have avoided arbitration with outfielder Nolan Reimold, sources tell Dan Connolly of the Baltimore Sun (link to Twitter). The 30-year-old will get a one-year, $1.025MM deal that includes incentives. Reimold lost most of the last two seasons to injury, but has a career .252/.327/.439 slash in 1,056 plate appearances dating back to 2009. His salary will be guaranteed, tweets Connolly.

The Phillies have avoided arbitration with infielder Kevin Frandsen, the club announced. Frandsen will receive a one-year, $900k deal that includes performance incentives. Last year, Frandsen had a .234/.296/.341 slash line in 278 plate appearances. The deal is guaranteed, Rosenthal tweets.

MLB.com’s Jason Beck tweets that the Tigers have avoided arbitration with Don Kelly by agreeing to a one-year, $1MM contract for 2014. Kelly will turn 34 in February and batted .222/.309/.343 in 2013 — all numbers that are nearly mirrored by his career .229/.290/.344 batting line. He is represented by LSW Baseball.

The Pirates have avoided arbitration with Chris Stewart, according to Daniel Barbarisi of the Wall Street Journal (on Twitter). Barbarisi reports that the trade sending Stewart to Pittsburgh was actually in place on Friday but was also contingent on Stewart agreeing to a new contract with the Pirates. Stewart, a client of James A. Kuzmich, PLLC, agreed to his new contract today, thereby finalizing the trade. He projected to earn $1MM, per Swartz.

MLBPA executive director Michael Weiner told reporters yesterday that he wants to see the Mets follow through on their stated intention of spending more aggressively. "I think everybody would like to see the Mets as a competitive team, and it's going to require a higher payroll,” Weiner said. Here are more NL East-related notes…

It doesn't appear likely that the Mets will consider Francisco Rodriguez, Adam Rubin of ESPNNewYork.com reports (on Twitter). They had some interest in a reunion with the free agent right-hander earlier in the winter.

GM Mike Rizzo implied that right-hander Chris Young has an out-clause in his minor league deal with the Nationals, Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports (on Twitter). It appears that the Nationals need Young’s permission to assign him to Triple-A. Ross Ohlendorf doesn’t have an opt-out, Amanda Comak of the Washington Times reports (on Twitter).

Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton told Yahoo's Jeff Passan that he tries not to concern himself with his team's recent change in direction. "What are you gonna do?" Stanton said. "Honestly, what? There's nothing you can do. You express your feelings, and that's about it."

The 30-year-old pitched 48 2/3 innings for the 2012 Padres, but posted a 7.77 ERA. He started nine games for San Diego and appeared in four more as a reliever, posting 7.2 K/9 and 3.3 BB/9. Ohlendorf was a fixture in the Pirates' rotation from 2009-10, but Pittsburgh released him in December of 2011.

Pirates left-hander Doug Slaten, Padres right-hander Ross Ohlendorf, and Rays third baseman Brooks Conrad are free agents after recent outright assignments, according to Matt Eddy of Baseball America (via Twitter). Slaten appeared in ten major league games for Pittsburgh while posting a 2.11 ERA with 5.1 K/9 and 2.7 BB/9 in 40 relief appearances in Triple-A. Ohlendorf had a 7.77 ERA with 39 strikeouts and 24 walks in nine starts and four relief appearances for the Padres over the summer. Conrad saw time in 49 games for the Rays and Brewers in 2012.

The Padres outrighted both right-hander Ross Ohlendorf and catcher Eddy Rodriguez to Triple-A, reports Jeff Sanders of The North County Times (on Twitter). San Diego designated the duo for assignment earlier this week to create room on the roster for some September call-ups.

San Diego signed Ohlendorf to a major league deal in early June. The 30-year-old made nine starts and four relief appearances for the Padres this year, posting a 7.77 ERA with 39 strikeouts and 24 walks across 48.2 innings. Ohlendorf was then optioned to Triple-A Tucson on August 18th.

Rodriguez, 26, appeared in two big league games for the Padres in early August. The catcher split time between Advanced-A and Triple-A and hit .217/.264/.373 with 14 homers in 101 games.

The Red Sox inked Ohlendorf to a minor league deal back in February but he chose to opt out of the deal on June 2nd. In his 13 combined 2012 Triple-A starts, Ohlendorf posted a 4.52 ERA with 7.0 K/9 and 2.3 BB/9.

The Padres signed Ross Ohlendorf to a Major League contract, the team announced. As expected, the Padres designated right-hander Matt Palmer for assignment in a corresponding move.

Ohlendorf opted out of his minor league contract with the Red Sox over the weekend and became a free agent. The 29-year-old had a 4.61 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 52 2/3 innings over the course of ten starts for Boston's Triple-A affiliate before obtaining his release. He started 50 games for the Pirates from 2009-10, but Pittsburgh non-tendered him following the 2011 season.

Ross Ohlendorf has opted out of his minor league contract with the Red Sox, MLBTR has learned. The right-hander obtained the right to opt out of his deal and declare free agency when the Red Sox declined to call him up by June 1.

Ohlendorf, 29, signed a minor league deal with the Red Sox in February. He started 50 games for the Pirates from 2009-10, but Pittsburgh non-tendered him following the 2011 season. Ohlendorf had a 4.61 ERA with 6.3 K/9 and 2.6 BB/9 in 52 2/3 innings over the course of ten starts for Boston's Triple-A affiliate this year.

Dan Duquette gave reporters (including MLB.com's Brittany Ghiroli) a brief update on the state of Adam Jones' possible extension with the Orioles, saying that Jones was a "unique case" that led him to break his policy of not negotiating during the season. “There’s not a lot I can say about it, except I’m encouraged by the fact that Adam wants to stay in Baltimore, we would certainly like him to stay in Baltimore. And hopefully we can work something out here in the short-term," Duquette said. “I don’t have a real timeline on these things, but hopefully we can get something done.”

Some more from around the AL East…

With Jones on the way to an extension, Orioles catcher Matt Wieters told reporters (including Steve Melewski of MASNsports.com) that he isn't concerned about a possible new contract for himself. MLBTR's Mike Axisa examined Wieters as an extension candidate in March, while MLBTR's Ben Nicholson-Smith (via Twitter) speculates that a Wieters deal could be worth $30-35MM over four years.

Also from Ben, he covered the Blue Jays and the Rays today in the latest instalments of MLBTR's 2013 Contract Issues series.

Ross Ohlendorf has pitched well at Triple-A Pawtucket and is a strong candidate to be added to the Red Sox 40-man roster before June 1, writes WEEI.com's Alex Speier. Ohlendorf can opt out of his minor league deal with the Sox if he isn't on the 40-man by that date, though since he has a minor league option left, the team doesn't necessarily have to call him up to the majors.

The Yankees have been relying on their veterans this season as their younger players have largely failed to step up, writes Joel Sherman of the New York Post. A "person who has worked with both" Manny Banuelos and Dellin Betances tells Sherman that the two pitchers have a lack of command on their fastballs and "were overhyped" as prospects.